The ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Wednesday endorsed a bill proposed by four opposition parties to narrow vote disparities between constituencies in House of Councilors elections. The five parties plan to submit the bill on Thursday to the Upper House. On the strength of ...

While it remains unclear when deliberations on Shinzo Abe’s national security bills will start in the Upper House, the ruling coalition is meanwhile spearheading electoral reforms that could see several voting districts reshaped. The security bills, the biggest focus of the current Diet session, ...

Japan’s ruling coalition has decided to put two security bills to a vote at a House of Representatives panel on Wednesday, paving the way for passage by the Lower House as early as Thursday, coalition lawmakers said. The decision came despite the opposition camp’s ...

An animated video released by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party that attempts to explain the need for the security bills currently being debated by the Diet has spawned a scathing parody that attempts to shoot holes in the ruling coalition’s argument for the legislation. ...

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will be taking a big risk if he pushes through a dramatic change in security policy despite objections from most citizens, who want a better explanation for why the change is needed, a top opposition figure has said. Abe’s ratings ...

With passage of the government’s national security bills through the Lower House coming into sight, deliberations on counterproposals submitted by the two largest opposition parties kicked off Friday at a special Lower House committee, in parallel with the state-sponsored legislation. Ishin no To (Japan ...

As Prime Minister Shinzo Abe prepares to ram through legislation that would drastically alter Japan's security stance, both the LDP and DPJ are taking their arguments to the people — via a variety of online media.

The Abe government countered on Wednesday an assessment by three respected scholars that two security bills it has tabled are unconstitutional. Meanwhile, one opposition lawmaker heaped further criticism on the government, likening the legislation to a “coup” against the nation’s legal foundations. In its ...